In the present study genipin crosslinked chitosan (CHI) hydrogels, which had been
constructed and reported in our previous studies (Lei Gao, et al. Colloids Surf. B
Biointerfaces. 2014, 117: 398), were further evaluated for their advantage as a carrier
for silver sulfadiazine (AgSD) nanocrystal systems. Firstly, AgSD nanocrystals with a
mean particle size of 289 nm were prepared by wet milling method and encapsulated
into genipin crosslinked CHI hydrogels. AgSD nanocrystals displayed a uniform
distribution and very good physical stability in the hydrogel network.
Swelling-dependent release pattern was found for AgSD nanocrystals from hydrogels
and the release profile could be well fitted with Peppas equation. When AgSD
nanocrystals were encapsulated in hydrogels their fibroblast cytotoxicity decreased
markedly, and their antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia
coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were still comparable to unencapsulated AgSD
nanocrystals. In vivo evaluation in excision and burn cutaneous wound models in
mice showed that AgSD nanocrystal hydrogels markedly decreased the expression of
inflammatory cytokine IL-6, but increased the levels of growth factors VEGF-A and
TGF-β1. Histopathologically, the wounds treated by hydrogels containing AgSD
nanocrystals showed the best healing state compared with commercial AgSD cream,
hydrogels containing AgSD bulk powders and blank hydrogels. The wounds treated
by AgSD nanocrystal hydrogels were dominated by marked fibroblast proliferation,
new blood vessels and thick regenerated epithelial layer. Sirius Red staining assay
indicated that AgSD nanocrystal hydrogels resulted in more collagen deposition
characterized by a large proportion of type I fibers. Our study suggested that
genipin-crosslinked CHI hydrogel was a potential carrier for local antibacterial
nanomedicines.

Description:

This paper was accepted for publication in the journal Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces and the definitive published version is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2016.06.016

Sponsor:

This work was founded by the Newton Research Programme Foundation titled
“ Investigation of host tissue integration using closely integrated experimental and
computational approaches approved by the Royal Academy of Engineering, the
project number is NRCP/1415/54.